Maleeka Kynard took a 10-count that she might never recall after diving for the ball in the second half of an Ohio State women's basketball game at Maryland on Dec. 4. The junior guard lay on the court for several minutes following the contact. Kynard needed help to get to the locker room because of a concussion that kept her out of the next four games.

Jim Massie, The Columbus Dispatch

Maleeka Kynard took a 10-count that she might never recall after diving for the ball in the second half of an Ohio State women's basketball game at Maryland on Dec. 4.

"I was told that I got a knee to the head," Kynard said. "I don't even really remember that happening."

The junior guard lay on the court for several minutes following the contact. Kynard needed help to get to the locker room because of a concussion that kept her out of the next four games.

That part she remembers.

"I was like foggy and I had headaches," Kynard said. "It was hard because I had exam week and I had to study. It was really hard for me to focus. So it set me back a little bit."

She returned to play in the two games that bookended the team's Christmas break. The Buckeyes (10-6) were glad to have her yesterday at Value City Arena during a not-so-pretty 65-47 victory over North Carolina Central that finished off the nonconference schedule.

Kynard delivered a career-high 11 points off the bench. She also had two assists, two steals and no turnovers.

The rest of the team coughed up the ball 21 times. The Buckeyes committed 23 turnovers while defeating Appalachian State 52-38 on Dec. 20. Neither number made coach Kevin McGuff happy.

"We just don't play with enough consistency," he said. "Appalachian State was the same way. We had stretches where we played well. Then we would let down. For us to reach our potential as a team, we have to become a more consistent group."

The Buckeyes never trailed in yesterday's game. But the turnovers, added to the job that the Eagles did on the offensive glass, kept the game close.

"We don't have a selfish team at all," McGuff said. "But when we try to make all these plays outside the offense, usually bad things happen. We shot 44 percent. We just turned it over too much."

The Eagles (5-5) also stayed in a zone defense for the entire game for a reason. The Buckeyes were 4 for 18 from beyond the three-point arc, with Kynard and Cait Craft making two each.